pathology
Last reviewed 01/2018
Although an increase in the myocardial oxygen demand or a decrease in the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood may cause ischaemic heart disease, nevertheless in over 90% of cases the cause is coronary artery disease.
There are five main contributors to the pathogenesis of coronary artery disease:
- atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries
- platelet aggregation
- coronary vasospasm
- non-atherosclerotic coronary artery disease
- haemodynamic derangements
atherosclerosis of coronary arteries
platelets, fibrinolytic activity and clotting factors